things you need

​

Tree textures are all different and by placing your paper over the bark and then rubbing with the crayon or chalk you can see how different species of tree have very different bark coverings.

​

Take:

​

• A chunky wax crayon or some coloured chalk

• Thin sheets of paper

look out for

​

Why not see if you can identify the tree from the bark, some are smooth and flat and others are much more knobbly and rough. Which trees have the nobbliest bark?

​

All explorers need to be able to be able to find their way home and trees are a good way to identify where you are and which route has got you to where you are.

If you have chalk, look at the patterns in the bark and see if you can see an eye or an ear shape, why not create your own tree art with the chalk on the tree – don’t worry, as soon as the rain appears the chalk will wash away.

​

You could make some charcoal and do a charcoal bark rubbing too. Explorers years ago used to do this. For details of how to make your own charcoal visit our website.

confidence

​

By paying attention to their surroundings children can more confidently learn to find their own way, giving them the confidence to venture further afield, safe in the knowledge that they can find a route back.

​